Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-16

SAylaFk0 IN America
THE AUCH-PRAIsED SoNGsTER HEARD THIS SUMNER
ON LONG ISLAND.
From the New York Evening Pos.
Geo. A. Dennison writes as follows: To an Amer
can who Is lover OF song birds the first hearing
OF the European skylark is a noteworthy event.
While waiting for the bird to sing he Is likely TO
wonder, as did the writer, whether the song will
SO Lar SurpaSs the music OF our best singers the
worldwide reputation or the bird might lead one
to expect. 1t was on Long Island, about a week
ago, only few miles from our own city, that
heard Tor the nrst time this assisted emlgrant."
whose advent (neayen be praisedD our laws have
not opposed. l was walking near held, not
OF grass, nor grain, nor vegetables, but weeds-a
desolate waSte-from which none would expect u
melody TO arise whose beauty has been proclaimed
to the corners OF the earth. But soon l was re-
minded that to the lark as to other birds weeds
are not weeds; ior q new voice arose out OF the
desert; and looking In the direction or the sound,
Ing wings, only few leet above the ground and
Using by short, quick flights. He poured forth q
hood OF notes as he went upward The voice had
something In fJ-Somethlng Observation-Disclosures
made It different from any bird song OF Then,
too, II sang While rising. This could be none
other than the European sxylark, especially as
had been told that he could be heard in that
neighbOrhood.
1t Is wonderfully inspiring to hear bird sing as
(dare say it?) the first feeling or the listener is
apt 10 be one " disappointment. For the quality
OF tone and the character OF particular notes is
what engroSSeS the attention at the outset, and
the observer calls TO mind a large number or
singers whose notes are equal TO these. He can
even name several whose voices surpasS this new
voice from the Old World. But do not insist too
much upon tone quaIty. Wait and listen. The
song grows upon you. You wonder where any
creature can md the power TO sing so rapturously
and continuously while mounting into the sky.
There is no pause at all between the notes. They
are almost as rapid as those OF the bob0link,
though less tmpetuous, with less bubbung eXuber-
ance. Tins is truly the Joy-song or bnthe spirit
borne al0It into the sky.
the skylarAs Is not ringing song, nor is 1t very
loud; but being sweet, IL is heard long distance
when the 6ird Is In tue air. There Is a marked
difference in this respect when the sanger Is on
the ground. 1uen the notes sound not much
more than half rs loud. IL Is probable that the
bird sings louder when dying, the sensation or
rising INTO the air and OF coming down again sum-
ulaIlng him TO more vigorous expTession. Many
OF the notes, perhaps nearly han OF them, are
what might be called, for want OF better term, q
kind or musical sputter. Yet this term Is TOO
harsh. The notes are more rapid than a MARBLE
and they are not a trlll The loudeSt notes i
heard are like the last two notes OF our meadow
lark, only shorter, and not plaintiye. The Amer
lean bird that most nearly resembles the skyiark
as TO The general quality VI the song, leaving out
the qualify OF continuity, is the song sparrow.
The Two songs are not greatly alike, Jet there is
much in common between them, especially Vi 10
tone Quality.